Systems and methods for controlling content from within an extended reality environment

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for controlling content from within a virtual environment. First and second extended reality devices and at least one user device are connected to the virtual environment, each extended reality device providing a user with interactive access to the virtual environment. Display data, based on a display of the user device, is received from the user device. An interactive virtual representation of the display is generated based on the display data. Input is received from one of the users via the virtual environment. Operational instructions, based on the received input, are communicated to the user device, with the operational instructions configured to instruct the user device to perform functions based on the received input.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling content from within a virtual environment, the method comprising:
 connecting a first extended reality device with the virtual environment, the first extended reality device providing a first user with interactive access to the virtual environment;   connecting a second extended reality device with the virtual environment, the second extended reality device providing a second user with interactive access to the virtual environment;   connecting a first user device with the virtual environment, the first user device comprising a first display;   receiving first display data from the first user device, the first display data based on the first display;   generating a first interactive virtual representation of the first display in the virtual environment, the first interactive virtual representation based on the first display data;   receiving first input from one of the first user and the second user via the virtual environment; and   communicating first operational instructions to the first user device based on the received first input, wherein the first operational instructions are configured to instruct the first user device to perform first functions based on the received first input.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving updates to the first display data from the first user device in response to the communicated first operational instructions; and   regenerating the first interactive virtual representation based on the updates to the first display data.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the first input via the virtual environment comprises receiving the first input via the first interactive virtual representation. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first operational instructions are configured to instruct the first user device to communicate with a second user device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first operational instructions are configured to instruct the first user device to transfer content data to a second user device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first operational instructions are configured to instruct the first user device to retrieve content data via a network. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 generating the first interactive virtual representation of the first display comprises generating the first interactive virtual representation to include first virtual content, the first virtual content comprising a representation of first content data stored on the first user device;   receiving the first input comprises receiving first modifications to the first virtual content; and   the first operational instructions are configured to instruct the first user device to modify the first content data based on the received first modifications.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first operational instructions are further configured to instruct the first user device to store the modified first content data on the first user device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 connecting a second user device with the virtual environment, the second user device comprising a second display;   receiving second display data from the second user device, the second display data based on the second display; and   generating a second interactive virtual representation of the second display in the virtual environment, the second interactive virtual representation based on the second display data.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first operational instructions are configured to instruct the first user device to communicate with the second user device outside of the virtual environment. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first operational instructions are configured to instruct the first user device to transmit content data to the second user device outside of the virtual environment. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving a second input from one of the first user and the second user via the virtual environment; and   communicating second operational instructions to the second user device based on the received second input, wherein the second operational instructions are configured to instruct the second user device to perform second functions based on the received second input.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first operational instructions are configured to instruct the first user device to connect to media content data via a network for synchronized display of the media content data with the second user device; and   the second operational instructions are configured to instruct the second user device to connect to the media content data via the network for synchronized display of the media content data with the first user device.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving updates to the second display data from the second user device in response to the first operational instructions communicated to the first user device; and   regenerating the second interactive virtual representation based on the updates to the second display data.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising receiving first changes to the first display data and second changes to the second display data in response to the communicated first operational instructions. 
     
     
         16 . A method of controlling content from within a virtual environment, the method comprising:
 connecting an extended reality device with the virtual environment;   connecting a user device with the virtual environment, the user device comprising a display;   receiving display data from the user device, the display data based on the display;   generating an interactive virtual representation of the display in the virtual environment, the interactive virtual representation based on the display data;   receiving input via the virtual environment; and   communicating operational instructions to the user device based on the received input, wherein the operational instructions are configured to instruct the user device to perform functions based on the received input.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 receiving updates to the display data from the user device in response to the communicated operational instructions; and   regenerating the interactive virtual representation based on the updates to the display data.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein receiving the input via the virtual environment comprises receiving the input via the interactive virtual representation. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the operational instructions are configured to instruct the user device to communicate with another user device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the operational instructions are configured to instruct the user device to transfer content data to another user device.